


Lost in the Woods

by IntoTheGallifray



Category: Let's Play (Webcomic)
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Romantic Comedy, Trees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IntoTheGallifray/pseuds/IntoTheGallifray
Summary: Wherein Sam and Charles become lost in the woods and receive some help from an unexpected source...
Relationships: Charles Jones/Sam Young (Let's Play)
Kudos: 18





	Lost in the Woods

“You suggested taking a shortcut from a trail you’ve never been on, in a part of the country you’ve never been to, and you didn’t bring a compass?!” Sam practically shouted, turning to the blond man beside her, who looked decidedly sheepish.  
“I…have Google maps.”  
“We don’t have reception out here, Charles,” she sighed.  
“Right,” he nodded, “Well I do apologize, Bunty, next time I won’t be quite so careless.”  
“There won’t be a next time if we can’t get out of here,” she muttered, then saw the dejected look on his face and softened slightly, “You weren’t careless Charles, you were just enthusiastic. Now come on, which way did we come from?”  
“I think perhaps that direction,” he gestured to a small copse of maple trees.  
“Good, okay, let’s try backtracking,” she smiled, taking his hand.  
“BACKPACKING YOU SAY?!” A loud, theatrical voice sounded from a bush to their left. Sam jumped a foot in the air, practically knocking Charles over.  
“H-hello?” she called into the bush.  
“WHO GOES THERE!” returned the voice as the owner, an elderly gentleman wearing an obviously homemade crown, a dressing gown, and carrying a cardboard sword burst out of the shrub. He brandished his ‘weapon’ at Charles, who held up both hands, moving to put himself between this rando and Sam.  
“We’re but wayward travelers,” he responded, mimicking the man’s turn of phrase, “we’ve become a bit lost in the woods.”  
“WELL MY BOY,” he seemed to be stuck in shouting mode, Sam noted, “IF YOU BEST ME IN A DUEL, THEN I SHALL SHOW YOU THE WAY.”  
Charles looked to Sam with his eyebrow raised, she shrugged in response, whispering, “It’s worth a try?”  
Charles exhaled loudly then searched around until he found a decent-sized branch, picking it up off the ground and holding it in a ready stance.  
“I accept your challenge, good sir,” he smirked.  
“THEN LET US BEGIN!” shouted the old man, moving forward to thrust his sword at Charles.  
The blond whacked the ‘sword’ with his branch, and the cardboard instantly ripped into multiple pieces. The man bowed to Charles, his voice a bit quieter, “It would appear that victory is yours, my boy. Allow me to introduce myself; I am King Gabriel, ruler of the kingdom of Neverwas,” he gestured grandly to the woods behind him. Charles and Sam peeked around him to see some crudely constructed forts, complete with pieces of fabric, coloured paper, forest debris, and glass in differing hues.  
“Follow me, my friends,” he winked, leading them down through an aisle of ash trees.  
“Should we trust him?” Sam asked under her breath.  
“What have we got to lose at this point?” replied Charles, moving to follow Gabriel.  
“Nothing much, just our lives,” she muttered to herself as she fell into step behind the blond.  
After a few minutes of getting the ‘tour’ from Gabriel, Sam and Charles were flabbergasted to find themselves back on the path.  
“I know these woods like the back of my hand,” Gabriel winked at them.  
“Thank you Gabriel,” smiled Sam, “We’re very grateful.”  
“Oh tosh, you earned it,” he replied then, removing something from his pocket, yelled “AND NOW I TAKE MY LEAVE,” throwing what was in his hand down to the ground. A cloud of smoke appeared instantly, causing Sam and Charles to cough until they waved it away. When it cleared, Gabriel was gone.  
“What? Where did he go?” asked Charles, looking around.  
They both froze when they heard a giggle sound from behind one of the trees. They smirked at each other, then moved to walk down the path.  
“I guess we’ll never know where he went,” said Sam loudly.  
“A king and a magician, fancy that,” responded Charles.  
The two gripped each other’s hands as they continued down the path.  
“That could totally be you in like, 10 years,” Sam teased.  
“Samara, I’m only 30…and also offended,” he sniffed.  
“Granted, your forts probably wouldn’t be as structurally sound,” she continued.  
“And why are you so certain my forts would be subpar?” he asked haughtily.  
“Because construction just isn’t your…forte,” she bit her lip.  
“Really now, Samara, you know how I feel about puns,” he fought to hold back a smile.  
“You don’t find them very punderful?”  
“How mature,” he groaned.  
“Just like your face!”  
“I’M ONLY 30!” he exclaimed in indignation.  
“Says the self-proclaimed cantankerous old goat,” she smirked.  
“Oh bad form, taking things out of context,” he teased.  
“I think you mean baaaaaad form,” she joked, already laughing.  
Both stopped short when a familiar voice boomed out from behind a large oak tree to the side of the path, “EXCUSE ME!”  
“How did he get ahead of us?” whispered Sam.  
“And how was he so silent?” returned Charles.  
“HELLO FAIR MAIDEN AND KIND SIR,” shouted Gabriel as he burst out from behind the oak, “Could I implore you for your help this sunny afternoon?”  
This time, he was wearing a white sheet draped over his head, a tree root cinching the middle, and there was a picture of a sun taped to the front of it, while on his head he wore a silver pot.  
“Ummmm,” was all Samara could manage.  
“It’s the least we could do, considering your help earlier,” Charles smiled, bowing slightly.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” replied Gabriel, “You must be the village idiot.”  
Sam snorted at that, and then again at Charles’ expression.  
“Come!” shouted Gabriel, “We haven’t much time!”  
He beckoned for them to follow him slightly off the path, which they started to, then stopped when he galloped back up to Charles.  
“Here,” he said simply, dumping 2 halves of a coconut shell in his hands.  
“What…” Charles was dumbfounded, “What am I to do with these?”  
Gabriel sighed, rolled his eyes, and grabbed them. He banged the halves together, mimicking the ‘clop clop’ of horse hooves.  
“It’s very simple,” Gabriel said, speaking slowly, “NOW COME ALONG!”  
Charles started banging the coconut shells together as they followed, “Where the hell did he even get these?”  
Sam couldn’t answer because she was so busy laughing, particularly at the disgruntled expression on Charles’ face.  
“Faster simpleton!” shouted Gabriel, “I’m galloping not TROTTING!”   
Charles complied, banging the shells together faster. He was so focussed on that and not tripping on the forest floor that he almost ran smack into Gabriel who had come to a stop.  
“Why are you banging those shells?” the old man demanded, “There are no horses here!”  
Charles pinched the bridge of his nose as Gabriel followed up with, “Worst. Squire. EVER.”  
Samara was finally catching her breath, when she and Charles looked down to see what Gabriel had needed their help with. A baby fox was cowering near their feet, its paw stuck in a scrap of plastic that had become wedged between a rock and a root.  
“I tried to free her myself, but it seems my aura is too intimidating for her,” Gabriel explained, then “Perhaps, fair maiden, your gentle hand might do the trick. I rather think this” – he jerked a thumb at Charles – “buffoon would bungle the whole operation.”  
Charles frowned and Samara snorted then bent down, cooing gentle noises at the kit as she slowly moved closer and closer. It whimpered slightly at first, then starting just looking at her curiously. She reached over and gently prised the plastic from where it was stuck, ripping it in the process so that it slid off the kit’s paw. It gave a little bark and twitched its tail before running off into the woods.  
“Excellent lass,” nodded Gabriel, “A true hero of the forest!”  
“I didn’t do all that much,” she mumbled, embarrassed.  
“I doubt that young kit feels the same way,” Gabriel winked, “AND NOW I TAKE MY LEAVE!”  
Sam was wise enough to step out of the way, but Charles had the misfortune of the smoke bomb going off at his feet, once again enshrouded in a small white cloud.  
“Well I NEV-“ he started to say, but let out a slight yelp when a hand suddenly darted out from the tree beside him, grabbing the coconut shells.  
“He’s quick, I’ll give him that,” laughed Sam as she led them both back to the path, having remembered the way this time.  
“Do you believe that?” cried Charles, “Buffoon? Me?”  
“Let’s not travel down that path, love,” giggled Samara.  
“What do you mean?” he asked, pulling her into his arms.  
“How long, exactly, did you deny your feelings for me?” she asked innocently.  
“I suppose that was somewhat buffoonish,” he agreed.  
He kissed her deeply then, lasting a few seconds, before stepping back to continue down the path, her hand in his. They were nearing the parking area when he said “Believe me, Bunty, I will never exhibit such buffoonery again.”  
“AU CONTRAIRE!” came the voice they’d grown to know so well from behind a sign depicting the history of the trail they’d just been on – albeit, this time the voice was faking a higher pitch.  
“Hello again, Gabriel,” sighed Charles.  
“Who is this Gabriel?” asked Gabriel, as he emerged, having wrapped himself in gauzy purple fabrics, a brown wig on his head, “Is he handsome?”  
“Uhhh,” responded Charles, taken aback by what he saw.  
“My name, is Grimelda,” said Gabriel in his high-pitched voice. He curtsied to the two of them, then continued, “I am a fortune teller. Tell me, lovebirds, would you like to hear your future?”  
“Oooo yes!” smiled Sam.  
“Not really,” Charles had said at the same time.  
“Well too bad sweet cheeks,” said ‘Grimelda’ “You’re gonna hear it anyway.”  
“So what’s in store for us?” asked Sam, eyes shining as she saw Charles’ face in her periphery.  
‘Grimelda’ took one of each of their hands and pressed them against ‘her’ forehead.  
“I foresee-“   
“Here we go,” groaned Charles.  
“Interrupt me again and I’ll predict how you ended up face-first in a pile of bear dung,” ‘Grimelda’ snapped.  
Charles pressed his lips together and nodded for ‘her’ to continue.  
“I foresee…a beautiful family for the two of you. One…no two children, twins in fact,” smiled ‘Grimelda’ “With your” – she nodded to Sam – “chestnut locks, and your” – she nodded to Charles – “eyes. And so much happiness.”  
Sam actually found herself brought to tears by the image ‘Grimelda’ painted, and didn’t miss a small sniffle from Charles.  
“Right then,” nodded ‘Grimelda’ dropping their hands, “That’ll be $20.”  
“Excuse me?!” cried Charles.  
“Oh just pay the woman, Charles,” Samara laughed.  
Charles, eyes narrowed, pulled out his wallet and placed a crisp 20 in ‘Grimelda’s’ hand. He then spun on his heel and continued to walk toward the car.  
“But I do _love_ watching you leave,” ‘Grimelda’ called after him, prompting Charles to cover his rear with his hands.  
Samara, once her laughing was under control, turned to thank Gabriel/Grimelda, but they’d vanished completely. She blinked a few times then ran to catch up with Charles.  
“What a strange individual,” he said as Sam caught up.  
“Well, she was certainly right about one thing,” smiled Samara.  
“And what’s that, Bunty?” he asked, turning to her.  
“You’ve got a NICE ASS, JONES!” she slapped his rear cheek on the word ‘nice’ then ran giggling to the car.  
He chased after her and pinned her to the side, kissing her happily, “I’m glad you feel that way, because you’re stuck with it now,” he teased.  
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she smiled.  
  
  



End file.
